The Serpent Trail
Encyclopedia
The Serpent Trail is a 64 mile long distance footpath. It runs from Haslemere
to Petersfield
by a circuitous route and is designed to join up the many heathland areas on greensand
in the western Weald
. The path takes its name both from its serpentine shape and from passing through the habitat of all three British species of snake.
, then westward through Marley Common, Linchmere Common, Stanley Common and Chapel Common to Rake
. South of Rake the trail turns east, heading over Fyning Hill to Iping Marsh, Woolbeding Common, Henley Common, Bexley Hill and Leggatt Hill to Upperton
Common. From Upperton to Petworth
the official route follows the public road, but many walkers may prefer to cross Petworth Park, which can be entered down some steps by the southernmost house in Upperton. A tunnel on the northern side of Petworth House
leads into the town, as do the lodge gates south of the house. From the east side of Petworth the trail crosses the Shimmings valley and climbs the sandstone ridge, passing through Flexham Park to Bedham
, where it turns southward in a gentle descent to Fittleworth
passing, at its easternmost part, close to Brinkwells, the former home of composer Sir Edward Elgar. From Lower Fittleworth the trail crosses the River Rother
and follows the greensand stratum
that lies between the river and the South Downs
escarpment
, passing through Sutton Common, Burton Park, Duncton
Common, Lavington Common, Graffham
Common and Heyshott
Common to Cocking Causway. Crossing the A286 the trail skirts the west side of Midhurst
to Midhurst Common and passes through Stedham
Common, Iping
Common and Trotton
Common to Dumpford. The trail continues along Dumpford Lane to Nyewood
, then crosses farmland to West Heath Common, reaching the A272 road
at Durleighmarsh, then passing the site of Durford Abbey to Heath Common at Petersfield
, ending at Heath Pond.
Haslemere
Haslemere is a town in Surrey, England, close to the border with both Hampshire and West Sussex. The major road between London and Portsmouth, the A3, lies to the west, and a branch of the River Wey to the south. Haslemere is approximately south-west of Guildford.Haslemere is surrounded by hills,...
to Petersfield
Petersfield, Hampshire
Petersfield is a market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is north of Portsmouth, on the A3 road. The town has its own railway station on the Portsmouth Direct Line, the mainline rail link connecting Portsmouth and London. The town is situated on the...
by a circuitous route and is designed to join up the many heathland areas on greensand
Greensand
Greensand or Green sand is either a sand or sandstone, which has a greenish color. This term is specifically applied to shallow marine sediment, that contains noticeable quantities of rounded greenish grains. These grains are called glauconies and consist of a mixture of mixed-layer clay...
in the western Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
. The path takes its name both from its serpentine shape and from passing through the habitat of all three British species of snake.
The route
From Haslemere High Street the trail goes south to BlackdownBlackdown, Sussex
Blackdown, or Black Down, is the highest hill in the historic county of Sussex, at 280 metres , and is second only to Leith Hill in southeastern England....
, then westward through Marley Common, Linchmere Common, Stanley Common and Chapel Common to Rake
Rake, West Sussex
Rake is a linear village in the English county of West Sussex.Historically its importance rose from it being on the main London-Portsmouth road but it has been bypassed for several years. Administratively Rake forms part of the civil parish of Rogate; in turn Rogate forms part of the district of...
. South of Rake the trail turns east, heading over Fyning Hill to Iping Marsh, Woolbeding Common, Henley Common, Bexley Hill and Leggatt Hill to Upperton
Upperton, West Sussex
Upperton is a hamlet in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. Part of Tillington civil parish it lies on the Tillington to Lurgashall road 1.4 miles northwest of Petworth....
Common. From Upperton to Petworth
Petworth
Petworth is a small town and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 east-west road from Heathfield to Winchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some twelve miles to the south west of Petworth along the A285 road...
the official route follows the public road, but many walkers may prefer to cross Petworth Park, which can be entered down some steps by the southernmost house in Upperton. A tunnel on the northern side of Petworth House
Petworth House
Petworth House in Petworth, West Sussex, England, is a late 17th-century mansion, rebuilt in 1688 by Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, and altered in the 1870s by Anthony Salvin...
leads into the town, as do the lodge gates south of the house. From the east side of Petworth the trail crosses the Shimmings valley and climbs the sandstone ridge, passing through Flexham Park to Bedham
Bedham
Bedham is a hamlet 4 kilometres east of Petworth in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England.Bedham consists of a farm, a derelict Victorian school, and a scattering of houses set high on a wooded sandstone ridge of the western weald, at 150 metres above sea level...
, where it turns southward in a gentle descent to Fittleworth
Fittleworth
Fittleworth is a village and civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England located seven kilometres west from Pulborough on the A283 road and three miles south east from Petworth. The village has an Anglican church, a primary school and one pub, the Swan...
passing, at its easternmost part, close to Brinkwells, the former home of composer Sir Edward Elgar. From Lower Fittleworth the trail crosses the River Rother
River Rother (Western)
The River Rother is a river which flows for thirty miles from Empshott in Hampshire to Stopham in West Sussex, where it joins the River Arun. It should not be confused with the River Rother, in East Sussex....
and follows the greensand stratum
Stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
that lies between the river and the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
, passing through Sutton Common, Burton Park, Duncton
Duncton
Duncton is a village and civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England located one mile south of Petworth on the A285 road.The parish has a land area of 800.4 hectares...
Common, Lavington Common, Graffham
Graffham
Graffham is a village and civil parish in West Sussex, England, situated on the northern escarpment of the South Downs. It is made up of the village of Graffham and the hamlet of Selham...
Common and Heyshott
Heyshott
Heyshott is a village and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It is approximately three miles south of Midhurst. Like many villages it has lost its shop but still has one pub, the Unicorn...
Common to Cocking Causway. Crossing the A286 the trail skirts the west side of Midhurst
Midhurst
Midhurst is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England, with a population of 4,889 in 2001. The town is situated on the River Rother and is home to the ruin of the Tudor Cowdray House and the stately Victorian Cowdray Park...
to Midhurst Common and passes through Stedham
Stedham
Stedham is a village in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It lies within the civil parish of Stedham with Iping, on the A272 road 1.5 miles west of Midhurst....
Common, Iping
Iping
Iping is a village in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It lies within the civil parish of Stedham with Iping, just off the A272 road 2 miles west of Midhurst. The village lies on the River Rother...
Common and Trotton
Trotton
Trotton is a village in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It lies within the civil parish of Trotton with Chithurst, on the A272 road 3 miles west of Midhurst. The A272 crosses the River Rother at Trotton Bridge near the church....
Common to Dumpford. The trail continues along Dumpford Lane to Nyewood
Nyewood
Nyewood is a hamlet in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England situated in the Western Rother valley. The village is on an unclassified road between Rogate and South Harting, the hub of the Harting civil parish that also includes the smaller settlements at West and East Harting...
, then crosses farmland to West Heath Common, reaching the A272 road
A272 road
The A272 is a road in South-East England. It follows an approximate East-West route from near Heathfield, East Sussex to the city of Winchester, Hampshire. It has achieved somewhat unlikely fame in recent years by being the subject of a book by the Dutch author, Pieter Boogaart...
at Durleighmarsh, then passing the site of Durford Abbey to Heath Common at Petersfield
Petersfield, Hampshire
Petersfield is a market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is north of Portsmouth, on the A3 road. The town has its own railway station on the Portsmouth Direct Line, the mainline rail link connecting Portsmouth and London. The town is situated on the...
, ending at Heath Pond.
Way markers
The trail is waymarked with white plastic discs showing a snake in the approximate shape of the route on a purple triangle.External links
- Unofficial guide to the Serpent Trail
- Serpent Trail (West Sussex County Council)
- Serpent Trail
- The Serpent Trail Official Guide